


Air currents and magical residue

by inhighheels (consumedly)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Attraction, F/F, Friendship, Physical Disability, Pre-Femslash, Socialy Inept Character, War Veteran Rolanda Hooch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:41:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consumedly/pseuds/inhighheels
Summary: There is always a learning curve when becoming an employee in a new place and Roland has yet again dropped the ball.
Relationships: Rolanda Hooch/Pomona Sprout
Kudos: 7





	Air currents and magical residue

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who's writing again.. that's right, it's me 🙌 I'm participating in the special event of the SSHG Gift Fest over at lj and it's marvelous. 💞 I've finished this one and am already writing another fill. Just come over and have fun!
> 
> Prompt: One (or both) of them teaches the other something about their speciality.
> 
> P.S: Please excuse the errors. I'vd no beta at the moment.

She had a way about her, Pomona was going to give her that. She was polite and smiled with just enough of her teeth hidden, her eyes almost never playing along. There was a coldness when she interacted with them, just enough smugness as if she was better than them just because she knew how to fly on a Merlin’s forsaken broom and do it well.

One didn’t need a broom in the garden and Pomona never really cared for such means of transportation. Once on a broom there was a fifty chance of falling off and Mrs. Sprout always told her to never do something she’d not like to be seen failing at. So she never did. She was a lady and a lady took all of the necessary precautions to never have the need to ride one.

She loved her trees, and plants, and poisons firmly on the ground.

Madam Hooch however, she liked to soar above them and to leave a trail of dust in her wake and Pomona was not taking any more of it. Or she was, because what was she going to do; tell the flying instructor to not fly? She scoffed at her own thoughts. As if she would ever do that.

Rolanda looked so carefree and happy when flying. The way she handled the broom you’d never think one of her hands has been, well pruned wasn’t the best way of saying it, but Pomona didn’t like the verb amputated. Trimmed wasn’t any better, but Pomona though all of mother’s earth creatures were alive and if a tree can be pruned, why not a wizard.

Maybe, maybe one day she was going to go walk over to her pitch and ask for her to organize the air currents in a better way. She’d explain about the dust and debris and magic residue that sometimes affected her seedlings and possibly manage to not stutter under the hawk like stare and forget why she has come to her. Until then Pomona was going to  scourgify her little darlings and cover enough of a perimeter with her layered protegos to be sure nothing would manage to really harm them. Symphoning magic residue wasn’t so hard after all.

And going over to Roland and talking to her, with her, made her knee a tad weak if she had to be honest. She wasn’t fresh out of school anymore, but she was just as smitten with the Instructor as she has been with Clodagh McCarthy in her sixth year in Hogwarts.

“Come on Pomona. You aren’t that old, and you aren’t that stupid either.”

~~~~~~~

There is always a learning curve when becoming an employee in a new place and Rolanda though she was doing quite well, or well enough until she realized she has been only talking with Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick. She somehow couldn’t recall the last time she spoke with Pomfrey. And Sprout, she was new just like her. When was the last time they have spoken of something other than the students and - anything else really.

One of the two topics she new by heart were war and quidditch, however they were living in a peaceful period thank Merlin and she felt adrift. It was time to make an effort however and Morgana help her. but she was going to do her best.

She was reshelving the broom shed when she hard her name being called “Madam Hooch. Madam Hooch are you there.”

“Yes” she answered clipped and turned around, there was no time, she has left the work for the last minute and the new year was almost upon them. When she turned around she was faced with the short, breathless form of Professor Sprout and felt bad for snapping. “I’m sorry professor, it’s just that I have to finish today or will never come around to it and today is the 31st.”

She was sure Pomona was blushing, her hands were twisting her apron. She was fidgeting and that was not something she did. The Herbology Professor has always been so cool and collected around her that Rolanda felt unease all of a sudden.

“Do you need something. I can just reshelve them as they were and do it later” She saw the other woman shift her weight, she’s going to turn and walk out. “It's nothing urgent Pomona. Just tell me and I’ll see if I can help.”

“I need you help with fertilizing the whomping willow. She won’t let me near her right now and I don’t have the time to coax her into cooperating. She has already broken two of my sprayers.” Sprout was feeling uncomfortable, she shifted her weight and her hands were still twisting her apron and her curls were floating around her in frustration, her bun almost completely non-existing.

“Just fly around her. It’s not that hard.” Rolanda realized she did not react as she should have when Sprout squared her shoulders and lifted her chin with a curt -

“Thank you for the suggestion.” turn around and started to walk at a brisk way out of the shed. Rolanda realized she has wasted an amazing opportunity to grow at least somewhat closer to her colleague and grabbed her gear running.

“Wait. Sprout wait a second.” She saw her stop at least 20 years ahead, how fast was this witch walking? She could see her eyes pinched from here, oh Merlin but she was pissed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t- I will help you, just please forget whatever you’re thinking right now. I am not as well spoken as I should be sometimes.”

The other wich relaxed her posture, just enough for Rolanda to realize she has been given another chance and she smiled. “Where is that potion. The willow won’t stand a chance.”

~~~~~~~

After not nearly the scaries half hour of her life Rolanda touched down and handed Pomona the sprayer. “I’m all out of potion. Do I have to spray the old girl any more?”

Sprout laughed and Rolanda watched as her eyes crinkled with mirth. “You enjoy evading death too much Hooch. That was it for now, if there is a need I know where to find you again.” They started to walk towards their sheds and Rolanda still adrenalin high was more talkative than usual. “So, you don’t like flying so much, huh? Not that there’s something wrong I just- it’s hard to imagine.”

Hooch risked a glance to the side and caught Sprout measuring her up. “Yes, it does seem like that. But then again, there are people who are scared of my Venomous Tentacula so who am I to judge.” After a couple of steps she continued. “I never liked flying. I can do it if needed, but I prefer to feel the soil beneath my feet, hard and sturdy. One can always rely on mother earth for protection.”

She wondered if she dared to go there, but there’s no moment like the present so she soldiered on.”And I dislike the air currents you create when flying, there’s magical residue and dust and debris. For example when the children fly, there’s always something that my wards have to keep out. I would really like if Dumbledore finally agrees to move the pitch somewhere else.”

Rolanda stopped walking and turned towards her. “You mean to tell me that the wards do not take care of the currents.” She sounded so surprised, so- Pomona realised she had not known.

“No they don’t. the instructor or professor should renew the specific wards on the pitch, which you have been doing, but also take care of the currents separately.” Sprout blushed realizing she was instructing her how to do her job properly. Or at least that’s the way it sounded to her. “I guess no one told you that.”

Rolanda started to speak, but stuttered. “So that’s why- You’ve seemed so- I- No, I did not know. I assumed you dislike me for the obvious reasons.” Sprout tilted her head curiously.

“What are the obvious reasons?” And then realised what she has asked and gasped in horror. “Oh my Merlin. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just.. I do not dislike you Hooch I- I do not know you really and you’re always flying and- I’d like to get to know you.” She pulled herself upright and looked the other woman resolutely. “We could start over if you’d like.”

Here it was, another chance, she always needed another one or so it seemed. “Yes. I’d like that professor. But first let’s take care of those currents.”


End file.
